Securing a moveable item to a structure is of great interest for various applications. For instance, it may be desirable to secure a vehicle to a fixed structure. This may be particularly advantageous in applications where the vehicle is to be rented for a given amount of time.
More specifically, there has been in recent years a rise in the popularity of automated rental systems for vehicles such as bicycles for example. Such a system generally comprises an automated rental station from which a user may rent a bicycle for a given amount of time.
In such a system, a bicycle to be rented is generally removably secured to a bicycle rack by means of a locking mechanism. A user may selectively unsecure and secure again the bicycle from the bicycle rack in certain circumstances, for instance after paying a given fee and/or providing a personal identification code.
Such rental systems generally comprise a plurality of rental stations located in different public locations, making them likely targets of acts of vandalism from malevolent individuals. Their robustness is thus an important element of a successful rental system.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,917,407, granted to Squire, discloses an automated bicycle renting station wherein the bicycle rack comprises a locking mechanism having a hook or latch member. This hook or latch member is designed to selectively pivot around an axle to engage a rod or a keeper mounted on the bicycle to be secured, thereby effectively securing the bicycle to the renting station.
Such a station may be subject to vandalism. Indeed, a malicious person may tug at the bicycle engaged in the renting station, using the latch as a lever and the axle as a pivot point to bend the latch out of shape or damage the keeper and free the bicycle from the renting station without paying the given fee.
Other locking systems for bicycles have also been proposed in the art. However, such systems are still prone to property damage and theft of bicycles and may thus cause great financial harm to operators of such bicycle renting systems.
Moreover, in some bicycle rental systems, unsecuring a bicycle from a bicycle rental station involves lifting the bicycle or otherwise manipulating the bicycle such that a great physical effort is required from a user of the bicycle rental system. This activity is inconvenient for the user and may lead to injuries.
Furthermore, in some bicycle rental systems, the task of guiding the bicycle towards the bicycle rack for the purpose of securing the bicycle to the bicycle rack may be arduous and inconvenient for a user.
There is therefore a need for a method and an apparatus that will overcome at least one of the above mentioned drawbacks.